Echochrome II
Posted December 28, 2010
Released back in 2008, the original Echochrome was an addictive puzzler that relied on design minimalism to delight and challenge gamers on both the PSP and Playstation 3. Echochrome ii, created by the same developer, is much of the same type of difficult puzzles, but with the inclusion of a creative method of Playstation Move support. The Move is used as a flashlight within the game and is pointed at the screen to create different shadows. These shadows are traversed by a little shadow-shaded fellow that will follow your path to the exit much like the concept of Lemmings. The presentation is just as cool and calm as the original game, but the inclusion of the Move provides another layer of depth into the world of Echochrome.
The simplicity of the game is obvious from the start, even if you haven’t played the original. The little shadow man walks along the path that you manipulate and create with the angle of the light source. The earlier levels are projected on a flat surface, but latter levels step up the challenge with wall corners and other objects that become an interactive part of the environment. There are several ways to complete the level most of the time, but you have to be careful to keep the walking character on the path otherwise falling to your death happens frequently.
Beyond the standard “let’s get the little man to the exit” mode (Escort), Echochrome ii also includes a “Paint-by-Numbers” mode (Paint) and collection quests (Echo) for all the levels in the game. Each level in the game can essentially be played one of the three ways and the challenge level varies. In the painting mode, you travel around the level coloring in the platforms. It’s really designed to test how competent you are at moving the character around the screen. In the collection mode, you have to find multiple versions of the little guy and save them all. With over 100 levels in the game and three ways to play each one, there’s plenty of content to be found in Echochrome ii for puzzler lovers.
The majority of the levels can be knocked out in less than a minute or two. Controlling the position of the shadows and the flashlight is really quite simple with the Playstation Move, however you must pay constant attention to the position of the controller. There’s also a time limit that comes into play, often penalizing those who aren’t creative enough to complete the level within 5 minutes. The time limit also figures into your rating on each level. If you get tired of the 3 main modes, you can also create your own puzzle levels as well as share them over the Playstation Network. It’s great for those that are probably more creative than myself, but I didn’t find it overly enthralling. You really should play through the entire game first as the regular levels unlock objects that can be used in the Create mode. The tools for creating levels are simple to use, but it requires an infinite amount of patience and time to create an intricate level.
Beyond the standard game modes, you can also compete on the online leaderboards for position as well as send videos of your achievements to YouTube. There are also 12 trophies to earn, most of which are fairly simple to knock out. Achieving the 10,000 steps trophy is no problem, but tasks like collecting all the shadow art or finishing all the levels on all 3 game modes will eat up a chunk of your time.
The design style of the visuals is intentionally monochromatic most of the time, ideally to focus your attention on the movement of the character. This creates a fairly boring look unfortunately, even with the puzzles that include coloring the platforms. However, the game runs very smoothly and the light presentation style is reinforced by the straightforward approach to the graphics engine. Opposite from the actual game, the menus utilize a much wider color palette and look really spectacular.
If you played the last title, you will immediately notice the freaky female voice that narrates the game. It’s a bit disconcerting to listen to and still doesn’t match the rest of the presentation. The background music is light and bouncy, certainly helpful at making the game happier when you are laboring over keeping the little shadow man alive.
Even with Playstation Move support, the game feels slightly overpriced at $15. The sweet spot is more in line with the original at $10. There’s a considerable amount of content in the game, but it is somewhat easier to complete than the original likely due to the allowances made to include the unique Playstation Move control scheme. Still, there’s plenty of entertainment value to be found in Echocrome ii for anyone that enjoys a quality puzzle game. Download Echocrome ii off the Playstation Network if you are a fan of the original or simply looking for something unique to utilize your new Playstation Move controller.
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The simplicity of the game is obvious from the start, even if you haven’t played the original. The little shadow man walks along the path that you manipulate and create with the angle of the light source. The earlier levels are projected on a flat surface, but latter levels step up the challenge with wall corners and other objects that become an interactive part of the environment. There are several ways to complete the level most of the time, but you have to be careful to keep the walking character on the path otherwise falling to your death happens frequently.
Beyond the standard “let’s get the little man to the exit” mode (Escort), Echochrome ii also includes a “Paint-by-Numbers” mode (Paint) and collection quests (Echo) for all the levels in the game. Each level in the game can essentially be played one of the three ways and the challenge level varies. In the painting mode, you travel around the level coloring in the platforms. It’s really designed to test how competent you are at moving the character around the screen. In the collection mode, you have to find multiple versions of the little guy and save them all. With over 100 levels in the game and three ways to play each one, there’s plenty of content to be found in Echochrome ii for puzzler lovers.
The majority of the levels can be knocked out in less than a minute or two. Controlling the position of the shadows and the flashlight is really quite simple with the Playstation Move, however you must pay constant attention to the position of the controller. There’s also a time limit that comes into play, often penalizing those who aren’t creative enough to complete the level within 5 minutes. The time limit also figures into your rating on each level. If you get tired of the 3 main modes, you can also create your own puzzle levels as well as share them over the Playstation Network. It’s great for those that are probably more creative than myself, but I didn’t find it overly enthralling. You really should play through the entire game first as the regular levels unlock objects that can be used in the Create mode. The tools for creating levels are simple to use, but it requires an infinite amount of patience and time to create an intricate level.
Beyond the standard game modes, you can also compete on the online leaderboards for position as well as send videos of your achievements to YouTube. There are also 12 trophies to earn, most of which are fairly simple to knock out. Achieving the 10,000 steps trophy is no problem, but tasks like collecting all the shadow art or finishing all the levels on all 3 game modes will eat up a chunk of your time.
Graphics
The design style of the visuals is intentionally monochromatic most of the time, ideally to focus your attention on the movement of the character. This creates a fairly boring look unfortunately, even with the puzzles that include coloring the platforms. However, the game runs very smoothly and the light presentation style is reinforced by the straightforward approach to the graphics engine. Opposite from the actual game, the menus utilize a much wider color palette and look really spectacular.
Audio
If you played the last title, you will immediately notice the freaky female voice that narrates the game. It’s a bit disconcerting to listen to and still doesn’t match the rest of the presentation. The background music is light and bouncy, certainly helpful at making the game happier when you are laboring over keeping the little shadow man alive.
Conclusion
Even with Playstation Move support, the game feels slightly overpriced at $15. The sweet spot is more in line with the original at $10. There’s a considerable amount of content in the game, but it is somewhat easier to complete than the original likely due to the allowances made to include the unique Playstation Move control scheme. Still, there’s plenty of entertainment value to be found in Echocrome ii for anyone that enjoys a quality puzzle game. Download Echocrome ii off the Playstation Network if you are a fan of the original or simply looking for something unique to utilize your new Playstation Move controller.
Discuss This Game on Our Official VGT Forum